Johnson is honoured as a CFL all-star for a third consecutive year while Mitchell and Singleton both make the list for the second time in their careers.

“As much as they’re not team awards, they really are,” Singleton said. “Without all the guys on our team doing how well they did, I don’t think any three of us would get any recognition for anything.”

Mitchell was both the regular-season Most Outstanding Player and the Grey Cup game’s Most Valuable Player in 2018. He led the CFL during the regular season with 35 touchdown passes and cracked the 5,000-yard plateau for the second time in his career. He started all 18 games and completed 356-of-585 passes for 5,124 yards and 35 touchdowns compared to just 14 interceptions. He was also tops in the CFL with 42 completions of at least 30 yards and a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 2.5. Mitchell had five 300-yard games including a 491-yard performance that represented a single-game high for all CFL quarterbacks in 2018. Mitchell passed 14 players on the CFL’s all-time passing yards list this season and now ranks 21st all-time. The native of Katy, Texas, was previously a CFL all-star in 2016.

Johnson started 17 regular-season games and led all defensive tackles in the league with 14 sacks and added 28 defensive tackles including two tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, two knockdowns and one interception. Johnson was part of a Stamps defence that yielded league lows in numerous categories including points (321), touchdowns (27) and rushing yards (86.5 per game).

“Mostly for me, Micah is half the reason I got (the all-star honour),” Singleton said. “There was times over the last three years we would just try to scheme to give each other one-on-ones. We’d always pick and choose for each whenever we could help out to help the other guy make plays.”

Singleton himself won the CFL tackles title this season with 123 takedowns. That total tied his own single-season team record as well as his league record for most tackles by a Canadian player. He’s just the second Canadian player in CFL history to record multiple 100-tackle seasons. Singleton also had six special-teams tackles, one fumble recovery, two forced fumbles and one knockdown. As the middle linebacker, the Montana State alum played an integral role in a defence that allowed the fewest points in the CFL. Singleton was also a CFL all-star in 2017.

What was surprising, however, was that a few others didn’t get the nod, especially with such a dominant defence and a Grey Cup season from the Stamps.

In particular, corner Ciante Evans and linebacker Jameer Thurman seemed to be top players at their positions. Other snubs included defensive lineman Ja’Gared Davis, halfback Brandon Smith and offensive lineman Derek Dennis.

“The defensive backs especially (got snubbed),” Singleton said. “I think they played one hell of a season. Numbers don’t lie — no one scored on them this year … nobody did anything against them.

“As much as I want to say our front end dominated, which they did, I think our back-end had a season like none other. Especially Ciante. Being a West (Division) all-star, I thought he’d easily walk in and be a league all-star.

“And the guys up front, I think we led the league in sacks, so there were obviously other guys but Micah getting sacks, so those guys deserve all the credit.

“And the guy next to me, Thurman,” Singleton continued. “I don’t want to take anything away from (Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ Adam) Bighill, but I’m not doing what I’m doing without Thurman. I think he missed two tackles this year and had over 80-plus (tackles), which I don’t think has happened before.

“So to snub him I think is pretty crazy as well.”

“But there are eight other teams, so I’m not taking anything away from anybody else. All the all-stars are well-deserving and had helluva seasons to get that credit.”

The all-stars are determined by voting members of the Football Reporters of Canada as well as one ballot from each team’s coaching staff.

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